Health tips: 5 simple ways to avoid knee pain.

Only a few things are as bad as knee pain. Most people either press on with ice baths and pain killer dosing. But there's a better way to care for your knees to make sure the pain never comes back.

A sore knee will make getting a lot of mobile activities difficult. In order to diminish the possibility of having severe pain, here are five simple solutions to knee pain:

1. Weight loss:

A major cause of knee pain is weight gain. The knee joint can absorb massive amounts of force, but has its limits, and if you've put on serious weight, then there’s trouble. The bigger you are, the more strain your knees need to absorb. Take off some of that excess strain on your knees by losing weight. So clean up your diet and drop some pounds.

2. Pre gym properly:

It's time to take your pre-gym routine seriously, especially after the age of 30. Try some light cardiovascular exercise to get your heart rate up and your blood flowing, and to prep the knee joint for exercise. It’s vital to not go directly into a strenuous activity without warming up first.

3. Foam Roll

The human body is complex, with joints, tendons, muscles and other soft tissues all intricately interwoven. Some knee pain is due to tendon damage, but a surprising amount is due to tight muscles. Although Foam rolling hurts  a lot for the first time, but if you are consistent, you will have immediate relief. For knee pain, focus on your glutes, quads and hamstrings. To get into the hard to reach knots, consider using a lacrosse ball. This will be painful in a great way.

4. Move more:

Rather than sit more, you could stand up and take a short break at least once every hour, and oppose all of that muscle shortening with regular stretching. A short, tight muscle is bad news for the joints around it, and if you're like the people sitting in cubicles everyday, you definitely have tight hamstrings. Remove that tightness and watch your knee soreness disappear.

5. Better footwear:

If you walk often and for long distances, make sure you wear the right shoes. Naturally, runners should wear running shoes, and basketball players should wear basketball shoes. However, there is the constant wear and tear from wearing the shoes over and over. If you're a runner, it's advised that you replace your shoes after you've ran some 400-600 miles in them. Although expensive, the shoe’s ability to absorb the shock of impact is neglected and that can be an issue.

If you are suffering from knee pain, soreness and stiffness, chances are you'll benefit from one or more of these preceding tips. If your knee pain persists, or worsens, see a doctor!